Turkey's women expand role in military
The Turkish army is witnessing a rapid increase of females in its ranks.
![Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of Staff General Hilmi Ozkok are accompanied by a ... Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Chief of Staff General Hilmi Ozkok are accompanied by a female officer as thek walk past Turkish memorial in Gallipoli. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Chief of Staff General Hilmi Ozkok are accompanied by a female officer as they walk past Turkish memorial in Gallipoli, in western Turkey, March 18, 2005. Turkey marked today the 90th anniversary of the World War One battle which Turkish forces defeated allied forces in Dardanelles straits in 1915, cla](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2014/11/RTR5EZ3.jpg/RTR5EZ3.jpg?h=86557692&itok=FW0CR0Yl)
At the 24th International Defence Film Festival in Rome, a documentary by film director Elif Ovar of the Turkish Army’s Photo-Film Center was selected for the Jury’s Award.
Her documentary "Light of Hope" — about Senay Haydar, Turkey’s first female gendarmie commander and senior noncommissioned officer (NCO), against the backdrop of gender discrimination and violence against women in the small Anatolian town of Mesudiye — attracted much interest.